St Andrews grabbed three precious points against direct opponents Pieta, thanks to a Kurt Coleiro first half goal. The victory was a deserved one for St Andrews who played the better football throughout the ninety minutes.

Led by a brilliant Amato, and inspired by the in-form Nicky Vela Petroni, St Andrews played one of their best matches so far this season tomove to a healthier position in the table a point above their opponents yesterday.

For Pieta it was a disappointing afternoon. Without Bandeira the Blues failed to live up to their expectations with players like Refalo, Grech and Muscat in subdued form.

St Andrews held the initiative for long stretches in the first part of the first half with Pieta constantly on the defensive. Nicky Vella Petroni had two efforts sailing over the bar and on 17 minutes the Saints went very close when Amato’s freekick hit the base of the upright with Kurt Coleiro failing to connect for the rebound.

Three minutes later a Ronnie Hartivig close range header was well blocked by Montfort. Pieta’s first attempt at goal came on 28 minutes when Jurgen Pisani’s point blank effort was brilliantly saved by Alexei Cauchi.

On 35 minutes St Andrews took a deserved lead when Nicky Vella Peroni did all the running on the right flank and crossed towards Kurt Coleiro who simply had to tap the ball home from close range.

Pieta made a timid reaction but only came close in stoppage time of the first half when they were rewarded an indirect freekick inside the box, but Refalo’s effort was somehow blocked by the Saints’ defensive wall.

The second half started on a slow pace with the first attempt coming from St Andrews with a fine solo effort by Andrew Amato. Three minutes Pieta’s Refalo tried his luck from the edge of the area, but his shot was completely off target.

On 65 minutes St Andrews went very close when an Amato cross was nodded down by Kurt Coleiro towards Ronnie Hartvig who hit the upright from close range. Five minutes later St Andrews wasted another golden opportunity when Kurt Coleiro passed towards Faisal Anakua who all alone in front of goal was denied by a brilliant Miguel Montfort save.

The Saints continued to show the better football and seven minutes from time they went close again when a Patrick Briscoe White header was cleared off the goal line by Ryan Mifsud.

In the dying minutes Pieta tried desperately to save the match but to no avail as the Saints controlled with relative ease. In stoppage time Piet were reduced to ten men when Dominic Mifsud was sent off after receiving the second yellow.

St.Andrew’s A. Cauchi, J. Briscoe White, N. Chetcuti, R. Hartvig, M. Borg, M. Valencia, A. Amato (W. Camilleri), N. Vella Petroni, M. Calleja (P. Briscoe White), F. Anakua, K. Coleiro (M. Desira Buttigieg).

Pieta H M. Montfort, C. Spiteri (J. Azzopardi), R. Mifsud, B. Sciberras, Q. Refalo, S. Grech (T. Agius), Z. Muscat, C. Cassar (C. Grech), J. Pisani, D. Mifsud, I. Grech.

Referee Paul Caruana